Foundry method and apparatus



May 2 1954 L. L. JOHNSTON FOUNDRY METHOD AND APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 3, 1961 INVENTOR LOYAL L. JOHNSTON aw/T w 7%; 51;

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y 26, 1964 L. L. JOHNSTON 3,134,147

FOUNDRY METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed July 3, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVN7OR 40x41. L. JOHNS N May 26, 1964 L. 1.. JOHNSTON FOUNDRY METHOD AND APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 3, 1961 INVEN7UR LOYAL L. JOHNSTON y 26, 1964 Y 1.. JOHNSTON 3,134,147

FOUNDRY METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed July 3. 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 /N VE N T OR LOYAL L. JOHNS TON May 26, 1964 Filed July 3, 1961 L. L. JOHNSTON FOUNDRY METHOD AND APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR LOYAI. L. JOHNSTON I M? W United States Patent M 3,134,147 FOUNDRY METHOD AND APPARATUS Loyal L. Johnston, Zelienopie, Pa, assignor to Herman Pneumatic Machine Company, Pittsburgh, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Iuiy 3, 1961, Ser. No. 121,523 3 Claims. (Q1. 2220) This invention relates to a foundry method and apparatus and particularly a foundry method and apparatus in which a plurality or series of flasks are advanced successively through mold forming, casting and stripping stations whereat molds of compacted finely divided mold forming material are formed in the flasks, molten material is introduced into the flasks to form castings therein and the castings are stripped from the flasks.

The invention is especially adaptable to a foundry in which elongated hollow articles such as pipes are centrifugally cast. The flasks follow one another successively to the mold forming station, the casting station and the stripping station. Finely divided mold forming material is introduced into the flasks, and the mold forming material is formed and compacted into hollow molds at the mold forming station. Preferably the flasks are upended to receive the mold forming material. I also prefer to form and compact the mold forming material at the mold forming station while the flasks are upended. At the stripping station the flasks are preferably uptilted to aid in stripping the castings and molds from the flasks. Except for the upending of the flasks to receive the mold forming material and possibly also to have the mold forming material formed and compacted at the mold forming station and except for the uptilting of the flasks at the stripping station the flasks preferably travel throughout the closed path oriented with their axes substantially horizontal. Preferably the axes of the flasks extend transversely of the closed path and for the most part the flasks roll from point to point during their advance.

During a portion of the advance of the flasks in the closed path, and normally along a portion of the path between the stripping station and the mold forming station I preferably advance the flasks along a downwardly inclined guideway and engage the flasks in their movement along the downwardly inclined guideway to inhibit the flasks picking up momentum whereby I minimize the force with which the flasks strike one another at the bottom of the downwardly inclined guideway.

At one of the stations I preferably advance a plurality of flasks along a downwardly inclined guideway against a stop so that the flasks lie in contact with each other and transfer the flasks from the guideway to rolls for turning the flasks and in such transfer slightly separate the flasks so that when the flasks are turned they are out of contact with one another.

At one portion in the path of movement of the flasks I desirably provide a downwardly inclined guideway along which the flasks are adapted to advance to a station together with a generally vertically downwardly movable flask carrying elevator Whose path intersects the guideway so that flasks carried by the elevator are deposited on the guideway upon downward movement of the elevator.

I also preferably provide a downwardly inclined guideway along which flasks are adapted to advance to a station, together with a stop at the station for stopping a flask thereat so that a second flask following the first mentioned flask along the downwardly inclined guideway stops by and in contact with the first mentioned flask, generally parallel turning rolls for turning the flasks and means for relatively generally vertically moving the guideway and turning rolls to transfer the flasks from the guideway to the saddles formed by the turning rolls, the

3,134,147 Patented May 26., 1964 spacing of the turning rolls being such that when the flasks are transferred thereto the flasks are deposited 1n the saddles formed by the turning rolls with the flasks out of contact with each other.

A support carrying flask turning rolls is preferably disposed generally beneath the guideway and means are provided for raising the support to pick up one or more flasks from the guideway in the saddle or saddles formed by the flask turning rolls. The support carrying the flask turning rolis may be mounted for pivotal movement generally in a vertical plane transverse of the guideway, and means are provided for pivotally moving the support to pick up the flask or flasks from the guideway in the saddle or saddles formed by the flask turning rolls. When the flask or flasks is or are thus picked up the flask or flasks preferably is or are tilted to assume position inclined to the horizontal.

Other details, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description of a present preferred embodiment thereof and a present preferred method of practicing the same proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a present preferred embodiment of the invention and have illustrated a present preferred method of practicing the same in which FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of foundry apparatus, certain elements shown in FIGURE 2. being omitted in FIGURE 1 for the sake of clarity of showing of the elements which are shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the foundry apparatus, certain elements shown in FIGURE 1 being omitted in FIGURE 2 for the sake of clarity of showing of the elements which are shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view taken transversely of FIGURES 1 and 2 at the mold forming station;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing the elements in a different relative position; and

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view taken transversely of FIGURES 1 and 2 at the stripping station.

The drawings are purely diagrammatic and are designed to make clear the elements and features of the invention without going into unnecessary detail. FIGURE 1 omits the head shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 for clarity of showing of the portions of the structure which appear in FIGURE '1. FIGURE 2 omits the return guideway for the flasks and associated mechanism for clarity of showing of the portions of the structure which appear in FIGURE 2.

There is provided a guideway designated generally by reference numeral 102 which may consist of two parallel spaced apart tracks or rails 103 on which flasks 29 are adapted to be rolled toward the right viewing FIGURES 1 and 2. I provide a plurality of flasks, some twenty or more preferably being employed in my apparatus and being moved in spaced apart succession through the various operating stations. Each flask 29 is generally cylindrical and hollow from end to end and has flanged steel tires 3% disposed thereabout upon which the flask is adapted to be turned about its axis on spinning rolls at the casting stat-ion and on turning rolls at the stripping station, the flanges of the tires insuring against endwise movement of the flask at said stations and at the mold forming station. The outside surfaces of the flanges of the tires 36 may engage the rails 1103 to inhibit undesired traveling of the flasks transversely of the rails. Each flask also has adjacent each end a surrounding steel band 41 which may be machined for accuracy, the bands 41 being employed in the positioning of the flasks at the mold forming station as will presently be described. The tires 3% may also be machined for accuracy to inhibit vibration during spinning.

The foundry floor is designated generally by reference numeral 2 and has mounted thereon a vertical post 104. The post 104 consists of opposed upright channels 105 connected together by cross members 166. A carriage or elevator 107 is guided by the post 104 for vertical movement, the carriage having wheels 108 mounted thereon which engage the post to guide the carriage as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. Mounted on the post at 109 is a cylinder 110 in which operates a piston having a piston rod 111 connected at 112 with the carriage 107. Means are provided for admitting fluid under pressure at either end of the cylinder 110 to move the piston upwardly or downwardly as desired. Since the piston is connected with the carriage 107 the carriage is thus made to partake of up and down vertical movement guided by the post 164.

The carriage 107 has projecting from the right-hand side thereof viewing FIGURES 1 and 2 a flask support 113 consisting of spaced apart rails 113a which is slightly depressed intermediate its ends as indicated at 114 in FIG- URE 1 so that a cylindrical flask 29 disposed upon the flask support 113 will remain in place thereon while the carriage 107 moves downwardly from the solid line position of FIGURE 1 toward the position partially indicated by'chain lines in that figure in which the flask support 113 is disposed generally between the rails 103 at a level slightly below the level of the upper surfaces of those rails at the left-hand extremities thereof viewing FIG- URE l, the result being that the flask is set down on the rails 103. Since the rails 103 are inclined toward the right viewing FIGURE 1 the flask rolls downwardly along the rails to the right and when it has rolled past a transverse vertical plane containing the extremity of the flask support 113 the carriage 107 is free to move upwardly to receive another flask.

Two stop members 115 and 116 are mounted between the rails 103 upon transverse pivots 117 and 118 respectively, the stop members being adapted to stop flasks moving downwardly or toward the right along rails 103. Both of the stop members 115 and 116 are shown in FIGURE 1 as being in operative position, i.e., each with a flask stopped thereby. When it is desired to deliver the flask stopped by the stop member 115 forwardly or toward the right viewing FIGURE 1 the stop member 116 is turned in the clockwise direction about the axis of the pivot 118 through an angle of about 75 by a piston in a cylinder 119 and the flask moves forward. The stop member 116 may then be returned to the position shown in FIGURE 1 for reception of the succeeding flask.

The stop member 115 operates in the same manner as the stop member 116. Two stop members are provided because in the apparatus shown molds are formed simultaneously in two flasks at the mold forming station so it is important to control two flasks and have them in readiness for advance to the mold forming station when called for. Normally when flasks are in position stopped by the stop members 115 and 116 as shown in FIGURE 1 the next flask will be held on the flask support 113 and will not be delivered onto the rails 103 at least until the stop member 115 is clear.

The foundry floor 2 contains a pit 3 having a main portion 3a and a downward extension 3b of smaller size than the main portion 30. Two cylinders 4 are mounted in the pit in spaced apart relation with their axes vertical. In FIGURES 3 and 4 only one of the cylinders appears as the other is directly behind the one shown. A piston 5 operates in each cylinder 4. Each piston 5 is connected with a former 6 which is disposed generally upright or vertically, each former having a tapered nose 7 and being hollow to receive and hence remove from a flask a portion of the finely divided mold forming material therein during the mold forming step as will presently be described. The formers shown are like those of FIGURES 3 and 5 of my copending applications Serial Nos. 118,001 and 118,002, filed June 19, 1961, with an open mouth 3 at the upper extremity of the tapered nose 7 and lateral openings 9 farther down to allow the mold forming mate- 4 rial removed from the flask by the former to be discharged from the former. Such mold forming material may be caught by an inclined trough diagrammatically indicated at 11 in FIGURES 3 and 4. The particular former shown in the drawings of the present application may be replaced by any of the other formers shown in the drawings of my said copending applications as the present invention is not concerned with which specific form of former is employed.

Mounted upon a transverse supporting structure 12 in the pit 3 are two bases 13 through which the respective formers 6 are adapted to move and which preferably serve as guides for the formers. diagrammatically and may be of any of the forms shown in my said copending applications. Each base 13 carries at its top at one side first positioning means 14 in the form of a V block whose function is to participate in the accurate positioning or aligning of a flask with the corresponding former 6.

Mounted upon the foundry floor 2 is a pedestal 15 having an upright guideway 16 for guiding for vertical movement a carrier 17 having wheels or rollers 18 engaging the guideway 16 at opposite sides. A cylinder 19 shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 is connected with the pedestal 15 at 20. A piston 21 operates in the cylinder 19 and has a piston rod 22 which passes out of the top of the cylinder 19 through suitable packing and is connected with the carrier 17 at 23. Fluid is admitted to the cylinder 19 above or below the piston 21 whereby the carrier 17 may be raised and lowered at will.

The carrier 17 has a horizontally projecting portion 17:: in which is journaled a shaft 24 which carries a pinion (not shown) with which meshes a rack (not shown) disposed in a casing 25 and operated by a piston in a cylinder 26. Hence the rack and pinion operated by fluid under pressure admitted to the cylinder 26 can turn the shaft 24 about its axis.

Fixed to the shaft 24 is a cradle 27 within which are mounted rails 28 adapted to support two of the flasks 29. At one step in the cycle the rails 28 will be disposed substantially in a horizontal plane as shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 and at such a level as to receive flasks from the rails 1113. The tires 30 roll upon the rails 28, the flanges of the tires being disposed outside the rails. Mounted in the cradle 27 is a shaft 31 carrying a helical impeller 32 which cooperates with the flasks 29 as shown in FIGURE 1. The shaft 31 is driven by any suitable means (not shown) such as a motor mounted on the cradle which causes the helical impeller 32 to turn about the axis of the shaft. When flasks are supported on the rails 28 of the cradle 27 they intersect the helical impeller 32 as shown in FIGURE 1 and turning of the shaft 31 causes the helical impeller through its engagement with the flasks to ad Vance the flasks along the rails 28 while at the same time maintaining them in predetermined spaced apart relationship. When the flasks reach predetermined positions in the cradle 27 the shaft 31 is stopped which in turn stops the flasks in predetermined spaced apart relationship and holds them in position.

The flasks are initially received by the cradle 27 by being rolled thereonto upon the rails 103 and 28. By reason of the fact that the rails 103 are slightly inclined downwardly toward the right viewing FIGURE 1 the flasks may move by gravity along the rails 103 and onto the rails 28. On the rails 28 the flasks are controlled by the helical impeller 32 as above described, and when the flasks have reached predetermined positions upon the rails 28 the shaft 31 carrying the helical impeller 32 is stopped, the carrier 17 is raised and the shaft 24 carrying the cradle 27 is turned through approximately in the clockwise direction from the position shown in FIGURE 3 in which the longitudinal dimensions of the flasks are generally horizontal to the position shown in FIGURE 4 in which the longitudinal dimensions of the flasks are generally upright or vertical. When the cradle has reached the second mentioned position it may be lowered to set down The bases 13 are shown only the flasks on the bases 13, the predetermined positioning of the flasks being such that their respective axes are in the same vertical planes with the respective axes of the formers 6. The flasks are held against falling out of the cradle when the cradle is turned to the second mentioned position by screws 33 having stop members 34 at their ends. If a flask tends to fall out it is engaged by the corresponding stop member 34 and maintained in place.

Pivoted at 35 to a supporting structure 36 is a head 37 carrying at its under surface second positioning means 38 in the form of two V blocks like the V blocks 14 and arranged so that when the head 37 is in operative position as shown in FIGURE 4 the respective V blocks 38 will be directly above the respective V blocks 14 and correspondingly positioned. The head 37 is turned about the axis of the pivot 35 by a piston in a cylinder 39 pivotally carried by the supporting structure 36 at 40. When the head 37 is turned down to operative position as shown in FIGURE 4 the respective sets of V blocks 14 and 38 are vertically aligned.

As above mentioned, each flask 29 has a steel band 41 applied to it externally adjacent but slightly spaced from each end as shown. The bands 41 are adapted to cooperate with the V blocks 14 and 38 to predeterminedly and accurately align or position the flasks relatively to the formers 6. When the flasks are set down on the bases 13 and the head 37 has been moved to operative position as shown in FIGURE 4 each flask is pressed toward the right viewing FIGURE 4 by a piston 42 in a cylinder 43 carried by the cradle 27. This properly position the flasks relatively to the formers. Thereupon pistons 44 operating in cylinders 45 in the head 37 are moved downwardly to clamp the flasks in place on the bases 13. The pistons 44 may carry patterns 46 for forming pipe hubs or spigots as desired. Likewise patterns 46 may be mounted upon the bases 13.

At the beginning of a cycle with the carrier 17 in its lowered position and the cradle 27 in the position of FIG- URE 3 two empty flasks 29 are rolled into the cradle upon the rails 163 and 28, the movement of the flasks within the cradle being controlled by the helical impeller 32 as above explained. When the flasks have reached predetermined positions in the cradle, i.e., positions with their respective axes in the same vertical planes as the respective axes of the formers 6, the shaft 31 carrying the helical impeller 32 is stopped. The carrier 17 is raised and the cradle 27 is turned 90 clockwise about the axis of the shaft 24 to position the flasks 29 with their longitudinal dimensions upright and in substantial vertical alignment with the respective formers 6. Thereupon the carrier 17 is moved downwardly, setting downthe flasks 29 upon the bases 13.

When the flasks have been thus set down the piston in the cylinder 39 is operated to turn the head 37 in the counterclockwise direction about the axis of the pivot 35' viewing FIGURES 3 and 4 until the head 37 is in the position of FIGURE 4. This may be determined by any suitable stop means, either means (not shown) against which a portion of the head 37 strikes or means in the cylinder 39 against which the piston strikes. With the head in that position the respective V blocks 38 are directly above the respective V blocks 14. At that time the pistons 42 are moved toward the right viewing FIGURE 4 to press the flasks 29 against the V blocks 14 and 38. The bands 41 of the flasks 29 cooperate with the V blocks to accurately position the flasks relatively to the formers 6. The bands 41 may be machined for accuracy as already stated. They are, as shown, slightly removed from the ends of the flasks so that any object striking the end of a flask will not damage the band 41 at that end although the portion of the body of the flask projecting beyond the band may be somewhat deformed. Such deformation of the projecting portion of the flask body does not interfere with accurate positioning of the flasks by the pistons 42. and the V blocks 14 and 38 cooperating with the bands 41.

When the flasks have been thus positioned the pistons 44 are moved downwardly to clamp the flasks tightly in position upon the bases 13 and to project the patterns 46 into the upper ends of the flasks. The pistons 44 are formed with openings 47 therethrough from top to bottom and when the flasks have been positioned and clamped n place measured quantities of finely divided mold formng material such as specially prepared foundry sand are introduced into the respective flasks through the openings 47 in the respective pistons 44.

Alternatively, the measured quantities of finely divided mold forming material may be introduced into the flasks 29 when the pistons 44 are in their uppermost positions and indeed preferably when the head 37 .is in the position of FIGURE 3 so that direct access may be had to the flasks to introduce the mold forming material directly into the upper ends of the flasks instead of through the openings 47.

Thereupon fluid under pressure is admitted beneath the pistons 5 in the cylinders 4, raising the formers 6 so that they are forced through the mold forming material in the flasks, thereby forming in the mold forming material elongated cavities longitudinally of the flasks and compacting the mold forming material to form molds for casting. The transverse dimension of the openings 47 in the pistons 44 is such that when the cylindrical portions of the formers 6 enter such openings the formers are guided thereby as well as by the bases 13. When the cylindrical portions of the formers have entered the openings 47 the mold forming material is completely enclosed Within the flasks and thereupon auxiliary compactin means as disclosed in my said copending applications Se rial Nos. 118,001 and 118,002 may if desired be employed to additionally compact the mold forming material in the flasks.

After the molds have thus been formed in the flasks 29 the formers 6 and the auxiliary compacting means if used, are retracted, the pistons 44 are retracted upwardly, the head 37 is moved to its inoperative position as shown in FIGURE 3, the carrier 17 is raised, the cradle 27 is turned back to the position of FIGURE 3, the carrier 17 is lowered and the flasks 29 with the formed molds therein are rolled out of the cradle by operation of the shaft 31 carrying the helical impeller 32, leaving the cradle empty for the reception of two empty flasks to have molds formed therein in the succeeding cycle of operation.

The flasks 29 leave the cradle 27 by rolling toward the right viewing FIGURE 1 on the rails 28 which when the cradle is in the position of FIGURE 1, which is the same as the position of FIGURE 3, are positioned to deliver the flasks to rails 59. The flasks roll from the rails 23 onto the rails 59. Mounted between the rails 50 upon a transverse pivot 51 is a stop member 52 which in the position shown in FIGURE 1 stops a flask 29 with a mold therein. When it is desired to deliver that flask forwardly or toward the right viewing FIGURE 1 the stop member 52 is turned in the clockwise direction about the axis of the pivot 51 through an angle of about 75 by a piston in a cylinder 53 and the flask moves forward. The stop member 52 may then be returned to the position shown in FIGURE 1 for reception of the succeeding flask.

The flasks follow one another toward the right viewing FIGURE 1 upon the rails 50. A helical impeller 54 similar in structure and function to the helical impeller 32 controls the advance of the flasks on the rails 50. The helical impeller 54 is, however, disposed above the flasks rather than below them as in the case of the helical impeller 32. The flasks are adapted to advance from left to right viewing FIGURE 1 upon the rails 50 and then upon rails 55 and them upon rails 56. The rails 55 are comparatively short, being of such length as to receive two flasks as shown in FIGURE 1. Those rails are formed at the tops of carrying members 57, each in longitudinal alignment with one of the rails 50 on one side and with one of the rails 56 on the other side. The members 57 carry rollers 58 whereby they are guided for vertical movement upon guides 59. Projecting outwardly from each of the members 57 is a pin 6t) which operates in a horizontally elongated slot 60a in an arm 68b. The two arms 69b are fixed to a torque tube 65c mounted for rotation in the supporting structure 61. Pivoted at end to a bracket 60c carried by the supporting structure is a cylinder 60] in which operates a piston with which is connected a piston rod 60g connected at 66h with an arm dtli fixed to the torque tube 600. Operation of the piston in the cylinder 60 through the arm 6th turns the torque tube 650 which through the arms 65b and the pins t) raises and lowers the two members 57 and hence the tracks 55. Thus by operation of the piston in the cylinder 60 the members 57 may be moved vertically along the guides 59 from an upper position in which the upper surfaces of the members 57, i.e., the upper surfaces of the rails 55, are in line with the upper surfaces of the rails 50 and 56 and a lower position in which the upper surfaces of the rails 55 are disposed below the level of the upper surfaces of the rails 54 and 56, the members 57 and rails 55 being shown in their lower position in FIGURE 1.

Carried by the support 61 are spinning rolls 62. Three such spinning rolls are shown, the rolls being arranged with their axes in the same horizontal plane and parallel to one another and equally spaced and extending transversely of the rails 50, 55 and 56. The spinning roils 62 are disposed with their upper surfaces just below the level of the upper surfaces of the rails 59 and 56 and so that the saddles formed between the first and second and between the second and third spinning rolls viewing FIGURE 1 are at a level below the level of the upper surfaces of the rails 50 and 56. Provision is made for rotatably driving at least the middle one of the spinning rolls 62; all three of the spinning rolls may be rotatably driven if desired. In the drawings is shown an electric motor 63 mounted below the middle spinning roll 62 and connected therewith by a belt or chain 64 whereby the middle spinning roll is rotated at centrifugal speed. Connections may be made to the outer spinning rolls to drive them consonantly with the middle spinning roll if desired although normally it is not necessary to drive the outer spinning rolls because the inner spinning roll will spin the flasks and the outer spinning rolls will turn due to frictional engagement with the spinning flasks.

When two flasks reach positions directly above the two saddles formed by the three spinning rolls 62 the helical impeller 54 is stopped. At that time the two flasks in question are resting upon the rails 55. The members 57 are then moved downwardly to deposit the flasks in the saddles formed by the spinning rolls as shown in FIGURE 1 and the flasks are rotated or spun at centrifugal speed. The spinning rolls engage the tires 30 of the flasks as shown in FIGURE 2, the flanges of the tires lying outside the spinning rolls and preventing endwise movement of the flasks.

If lengths of pipe are to be formed patterns or cores for forming hubs or spigots on the ends of the pipes may be applied to the flasks with the molds therein either just as the flasks reach their positions in the saddles formed by the spinning rolls 62 or while the flasks are on the rails 50 before they move onto the rails 55. When the flasks are in the saddles formed by the spinning rolls 62 a core holder and closure member 65 is applied to an end of each flask. The members 65 are shown in FIGURE 2 and each of them is adapted to be advanced into engagement with an end of the corresponding flask by pistons in cylinders 66. Each of the members 65 is rotatably mounted in a supporting frame or hearing 67 so that the members 65 hold in place the cores if cores are employed and close the ends of the flasks to which they are applied while at the same time being free to rotate with the flasks through their engagement with the ends of the flasks. Similar members 68 are similarly applied to the opposite ends of the flasks, but the members 68 have central opening's therein adapted to receive spouts 69 of funnels 70 through which molten material to be cast is delivered from ladles 71. The funnels and ladles are mounted on a carrier 72 movable toward and away from the line of flasks by a piston in a cylinder 73.

Assuming that single hub pipes are to be centrifugally cast a core for forming a hub at one end of each pipe and a pattern for forming a spigot at the other end of each pipe are preferably applied to the flasks while the flasks are on the rails 50. The flasks are advanced onto the rails 55 by the helical impeller 54-. At that time the members 57 are in their upper position with the upper surfaces of the rails 55 at the same elevation as the upper surfaces of the rails and 56. The two flasks are advanced in spaced apart relation by the helical impeller 54 and when they are positioned directly above the saddles formed by the three spinning rolls 62 the helical impeller stops and the members 57 move downwardly to seat the flasks in the saddles formed by the spinning rolls 62. The members and 68 are advanced into engagement with the respective ends of the flasks and as above explained are free to rotate with the flasks while holding in place the cores and spigot patterns. The members close the ends of the flasks to which they are applied (although they may be perforated to allow the escape of heat and gases) while the members 68 are as above mentioned provided with central openings for receiving the spouts 69 of the funnels 7t). The flasks are rotated at centrifugal speed, the carrier 72 is advanced until the spouts 69 enter the flasks and molten material is poured through the funnels by the ladies 71. This may be done by uptilting the ladles. The molten material enters the flasks which are rotating at centrifugal speed. The molten material is centrifuged to form pipes. Spinning of the flasks with the molds and incipient pipes therein continues until the material has solidified. Then the spinning rolls 62 are stopped the carrier 72 and the members 65 and 68 are retracted and the members 57 are raised to move the flasks with the molds and pipes therein up out of the saddles formed by the spinning rolls and back into cooperative relationship with the helical impeller 54. At that time the upper surfaces of the rails 55 are in line with the upper surfaces of the rails 59 and 5d. The helical impeller is then operated to move the flasks to the right off of the rails 55 onto the rails 56 and simultaneously to move the next two flasks to the right off of the rails 58 onto the rails 55 ready for repetition of the cycle. The flasks are moved to the right viewing FIGURE 1 upon the rails 56, being advanced and maintained in spaced apart relationship by the helical impeller 54 as shown.

The helical impeller 54 is carried by a shaft 74 driven through a belt 75 by a motor 76 and a gear reducer 77.

A stop member 78 is mounted between the rails 56 upon a transverse pivot 79 and is adapted to stop flasks moving toward the right after they have passed out of control of the helical impeller 54. As will be noted in FIGURE 1 the rails 56 are inclined slightly downwardly toward the right from the right-hand end of the helical impeller 54. The stop member 78 is shown in FIGURE 1 as being in operative position, i.e., with a flask stopped thereby. When it is desired to deliver the flask stopped by the stop member 78 forwardly or toward the right viewing FIGURE 1 the stop member 78 is turned in the clockwise direction about the axis of the pivot 79 through an angle of about 75 by a piston in a cylinder 80 and the flask moves forward. The stop member 78 may then be returned to the position shown in FIGURE 1 for reception of the succeeding flask.

Mounting upon the foundry floor 2 is a supporting structure 81 which carries a vertical post 82. The post 82 consists of opposed upright channels 83 connected to-- gether by cross members 84. A carriage or elevator 85 is guided by the post 82 for vertical movement, the elevator having wheels 86 mounted thereon which engage the post to guide the carriage as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

Mounted on the post at 87 is a cylinder 88 in which operates a piston having a piston rod 89 connected at 90 with the elevator 85. Means are provided for admitting fluid under pressure at either end of the cylinder 38 to move the piston upwardly or downwardly as desired. Since the piston is connected with the elevator 85 the elevator is thus made to partake of up and down vertical movement guided by the post 82.

The elevator 85 has projecting from the left-hand side thereof viewing FIGURES 1 and 2 a flask support 91 consisting of spaced apart rails 92 whose upper surface is inclined downwardly and to the right as shown in FIG- URE 1. When the elevator 85 is in its lowermost position as shown in FIGURE 1 the rails 92 may be substantially in line with the rails 56 or slightly offset laterally with respect to the rails 56 but in any event disposed relatively to the rails 56 so that when the stop member 78 is moved to inoperative position to allow a flask to roll down the inclined right-hand extremities of the rails 56 that flask will roll onto the rails 92 and continue rolling thereon until it stops against the stop portion 93 of the elevator 85. The stop member 78 will be manipulated so that two flasks will be delivered to the elevator 35 one after the other and will be positioned upon the rails 92 of the elevator 85 in contact with each other as shown in FIG- URE 1. The shape of the stop member 78 is such that when the stop member is turned clockwise about 75 from the operative position shown in FIGURE 1 a portion 94 thereof moves up into the path of the flasks to prevent more than one flask from passing the stop member at a time. When two flasks have been delivered to the elevator the stop member 78 is returned to its operative position as shown in FIGURE 1 and remains in that position until those two flasks have been delivered from the elevator as will presently be described and the elevator is empty and ready to receive two more flasks.

In the foundry floor generally beneath the rails 92 of the elevator 85 is a pit 95. Above the foundry floor supported by the supporting structure 81 are brackets 95 in which is mounted a shaft 97 whose axis is generally parallel to the direction of advance of the flasks to the elevator. Pivoted to the shaft 97 is an arm 98 adapted to be swung in a generally vertical transverse plane about the axis of the shaft 97.

Mounted in the bottom of the pit 95 is a bracket 99 to which is pivoted at 190 a cylinder 191 in which operates a piston whose piston rod 120 is pivotally connected at 121 with the arm 98. Means are provided for admitting fluid under pressure at the respective ends of the cylinder 101 to raise and lower the piston therein which in turn swings the arm 93 upwardly and downwardly about the axis of the shaft 97 as is evident from inspection of FIG- URE 5.

The arm 98 carries bearings 122 in which are journaled three parallel shafts 123 each having rollers 124 fixed thereto at its ends. The central one of the three shafts 123 is adapted to be driven by a motor 125 through a speed reducer 126, a pulley 127, a driving belt or chain 128 and a pulley 129 fixed to the central shaft 123. The two outer shafts 123 need not be driven but may be driven if desired through suitable connections (not shown) with the motor-speed reducer unit 125126. The three shafts 123 are spaced apart to provide flask receiving saddles formed by the rollers 124 as shown in FIGURE 1 (although it is to be borne in mind that the two flasks disposed on the rails 92 in FIGURE 1 are not seated in the flask receiving saddles formed by the rollers 124).

The arm 98 is shown in FIGURES 1 and in its lowermost position in which the rollers 124 are disposed at a level below the flasks carried by the rails 92 and out of contact with the flasks. However, when two flasks are disposed on the rails 92 and against the stop portion 93 of the elevator 85 as shown in FIGURE 1 they are positioned generally above the saddles formed by the rollers 123 although not exactly centered to those saddles. When fluid under pressure is admitted to the bottom of the cylin-' der 101 the arm 98 is swung upwardly to turn in the clockwise direction viewing FIGURE 5 about the axis of the shaft 97. During such upward movement of the arm 98 the rollers 124 engage the tires 34) of the flasks 29 on the rails 92 and raise the flasks from the rails and tilt them to the position partially indicated by chain lines at the top of FIGURE 5, the flasks settling into the saddles formed by the rollers 124. The flasks are held against axial movement by engagement of the flanges of the left-hand tires 30 with the left-hand rollers 124 viewing FIGURE 5. With the flasks thus supported in the saddles formed by the rollers 124 and uptilted the motor is operated to rotate at least the central shaft 123. When only the central shaft 123 or all three of those shafts is or are driven the flasks seated in the saddles formed by the rollers 124 are rotated. If the two outer shafts 123 are not driven they or the rollers 124 carried thereby will be rotated by engagement with the flasks whose rotation is caused by the driven central shaft 123.

While the flasks are being rotated in uptilted position supported by the rollers 124 a blast is directed into the upper portion of the lower end of each flask through a nozzle 13!! to disintegrate the mold of compacted finely divided mold forming material in the flask and thus loosen the casting to cause the casting to be discharged by gravity through the lower end of the flask. The blast may be of air, sand, grit, shot, or any other suitable material for disintegrating the mold in the flask. The disintegrated mold and any solid material of the blast may flow out of the lower end of the flask as indicated at 131 and be conveyed away upon a conveyor 132. At some stage during the distintegration of the mold the casting will be discharged from the flask and may be received upon a conveyor 133. The conveyor 133 is made wide enough to receive the castings from the two flasks which are disposed side by side upon the rollers 124. In copending application Serial No. 88,959, filed February 13, 1961, there is claimed a method of releasing an elongated casting from a mold of finely divided compacted mold forming material such as is illustrated in FIGURE 5 and describe-d above.

After the molds and castings have been removed from the two flasks carried by the rollers 124 as above described the arm 98 is swung down to its original inoperative position as shown in FIGURES 1 and 5, depositing the empty flasks upon the rails 92 where those flasks resume their original positions in contact with each other as shown in FIGURE 1. Thereupon the elevator 85 is raised to a position in which the flasks on the rails 92 are positioned to be delivered toward the left viewing FIG- URES 1 and 2 off of those rails onto rails 134 which may be substantially in line with the rails 92 with the elevator in its raised position or slightly offset laterally with respect to the rails 92 but in any event disposed relatively to the rails 92 so that the flasks on the rails 92 may be rolled from those rails directly onto the rails 134.

Mounted on the post 82 is a cylinder 135 in which operates a piston having a piston rod 13h carrying a bumper 137 at its outer or left-hand end viewing FIGURE 1. When the elevator 35 has been raised to position the flasks on the rails 92 so that they may roll off of the rails 92 and onto the rails 134 fluid under pressure is admitted to the right of the piston in the cylinder 135 moving the piston to the left and pushing the flasks off of the rails 92 and onto the rails 134. Then the piston in the cylinder 135 may be retracted and the elevator 85 lowered to the position shown in FIGURE 1 ready to receive two more flasks.

The rails 134 are inclined downwardly from right to left viewing FIGURE 1 and a helical impeller 133 similar in structure and function to the helical impeller 54 is mounted generally above and parallel to the rails 134, being driven by an electric motor 139 through reduction gearing 140 and a driving belt or chain 141. The function of the helical impeller 138 is to control the movement of the flasks on the rails 134 from right to left viewing FIGURE 1 so that the flasks do not gain momentum as they would if they were allowed to roll freely down the inclined rails 134 throughout the length thereof which might result in the flasks striking those accumulated at the foot of the rails 134 with great force with the likelihood of cracking, deforming or otherwise damaging the flasks.

I provide means for insuring delivery of the flasks one by one to the helical impeller 138. Mounted for rotation transversely of the rails 1-34 is a shaft 142 carrying two four-pointed star wheels 143 which are fixed to the shaft in parallel relationship, the star wheels being adapted to engage flasks between the rails 134, one of the star wheels being adjacent each rail. A crank 144 is connected with the shaft 142 adjacent each end of the shaft 142, the two cranks 144- being disposed at an angle of 90 to each other. Pivotally mounted to the outside of the nearer rail 134, viewing FIGURE 1, at 145 is a cylinder 146 in which operates a piston having a piston rod 147 connected to the corresponding crank 144 by a crank pin 148. 'Pivotally mounted to the outside of the farther or more remote rail 134, viewing FIGURE 1, at 149 is a cylinder 150'in which operates a piston having a piston rod 151 connected to the corresponding crank 144 by a crank pin 152. The pistons in the cylinders 146 and 150 are alternately operated to turn the shaft 142 and hence the star wheels 143 step by step in the counterclockwise direction viewing FIGURE 1, 90 each step. This is accomplished as will now be described.

In FIGURE 1 the nearer crank 144 is shown extending to-the left from the shaft 142 on dead center while the more remote crank extends directly downwardly from the shaft 142. The piston in the cylinder 150 is moved to the right which turns the shaft 142 90 in the counterclockwise direction. This places the more remote crank 144 on dead center to the right and moves the nearer crank 144 to a position in which it extends straight downwardly from the shaft 142. Thereupon the piston in the cylinder 146 is moved to the right turning the shaft 142 through another increment of 90 in the counterclockwise direction until the nearer crank 144 is on dead center to the right and the more remote crank 144 extends upwardly from the shaft 142. By thus alternately operating the pistons in the cylinders 146 and 150 the shaft 142 is turned upon each operation through an angle of 90 in the counterclockwise direction, the star wheels 143 turning therewith. When the piston in one of the cylinders 146 and 150 is being operated the piston in the other of those cylinders is free to move as required by its crank.

When a flask is disposed against the star wheels' 143 as shown in FIGURE 1 and the shaft 142'is turned through an angle of 90 in the counterclockwise direction that flask is advanced toward the left and rolls down the rails 134 a short distance until it reaches the upper end of the helical impeller 13-8 when it enters into mesh with the helical impeller and is moved downwardly along the rails 134 thereby. By proper operation of the shaft 142 carrying the star wheels 143 the flasks can be delivered to the helical impeller in proper spaced apart relation.

The helical impeller terminates somewhat short of the lower end of the rails 134 where the flasks collect in contact with one another as shown in FIGURE 1. When the flasks are released from the control of the helical impeller they are so close to the end of the rails 134 that there is not time for them to gain substantial momentum so that the flasks do not strike one another with great force as they collect at the lower end of the rails 134. The flasks at the'lower end of the rails 134 are delivered one by one to the left viewing FIGURE 1 by star wheels 153 similar to the star wheels 143 and mounted and operated in similar manner. The star wheels 153 are shown in FIGURE 1 as being turned through half an increment,

12 the star wheels being in the process of delivering a flask toward the lower end of the rails 134. The flasks are thus delivered one by one onto the flask support 113 ready for repetition of the cycle.

While I have shown and described a present preferred embodiment of the invention and have illustrated a present preferred method of practicing the same it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A foundry method comprising advancing a plurality of flasks successively in a closed path through mold formforming, casting and stripping stations, at all times while the flasks are advancing in the closed path maintaining the flasks with their axes generally horizontal, advancing the flasks along a downwardly inclined guideway during a portion of the path between the stripping station and the mold forming station and engaging the flasks while they continue to move along the downwardly inclined guideway to inhibit the flasks picking up momentum and hence minimize the force with which the flasks strike one another at the bottom of the downwardly inclined guideway.

2. Foundry apparatus comprising a guideway along which a flask is adapted to roll, a support mounted for pivotal movement in a generally vertical plane between inoperative position generally beneath the guideway and a higher operative position, the support rotatably carrying rollers forming a saddle which when the support pivots from inoperative to operative position pick up the flask from the guideway and support it in the saddle clear of the guideway with the axis of the flask inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal, means for rotating at least one of the rollers to rotate the flask, means for pivotally moving the support between inoperative and operative positions and means for introducing a blast upwardly into the rotating flask to aid in loosening a casting therein so that the casting will be discharged from the inclined flask.

3. Foundry apparatus comprising an elevator having a generally horizontally disposed flask receiving and supporting portion, means for delivering a flask to such portion of the elevator, a support movable between inoperative position generally beneath said portion of the elevator and a higher operative position, the support rotatably carrying rollers having their upper portions directly exposed to the flask, which upper portions, when the support moves from inoperative to operative position, rise to an elevation above the guideway and pick up the flask from said portion of the elevator and support it clear of the means for delivering the flask, driving means for drivingly rotating at least one of said rollers, means for moving the support between inoperative and operative positions and means for raising the elevator to lift the flask from the saddle and deliver it to a receiving station at a higher elevation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 999,485 Carolin Aug. 1, 1911 1,595,119 Paige Aug. 10, 1926 1,944,168 Camerota Jan. 23, 1934 2,631,342 Romine Mar. 17, 1953 2,731,690 Coupland et al. Jan. 24, 1956 2,767,445 Taccone Oct. 23, 1956 2,857,639 Johnston Oct. 28, 1958 2,879,563 Ewing Mar. 31, 1959 2,943,369 Szwed July 5, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 982,042 France Jan. 24, 1951 986,836 France Apr. 4, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 134,147 May 26 1964 Loyal L. Johnston It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said'Letter-s Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 71 after "and" insert the column 5, line 51, for downread down column 8, line 6.8, for Mounting" read Mounted column 12 line 13, strike out "form-H Signed and sealed this 13th day of October 1964.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER ERNEST W. SWIDER Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

3. FOUNDRY APPARATUS COMPRISING AN ELEVATOR HAVING A GENERALLY HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED FLASK RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING PORTION, MEANS FOR DELIVERING A FLASK TO SUCH PORTION OF THE ELEVATOR, A SUPPORT MOVABLE BETWEEN INOPERATIVE POSITION GENERALLY BENEATH SAID PORTION OF THE ELEVATOR AND A HIGHER OPERATIVE POSITION, THE SUPPORT ROTATABLY CARRYING ROLLERS HAVING THEIR UPPER PORTIONS DIRECTLY EXPOSED TO THE FLASK, WHICH UPPER PORTIONS, WHEN THE SUPPORT MOVES FROM INOPERATIVE TO OPERATIVE POSITION, RISE TO AN ELEVATION ABOVE THE GUIDEWAY AND PICK UP THE FLASK FROM SAID PORTION OF THE ELEVATOR AND SUPPORT IT CLEAR OF THE MEANS FOR DELIVERING THE FLASK, DRIVING MEANS FOR DRIVINGLY ROTATING AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ROLLERS, MEANS FOR MOVING THE SUPPORT BETWEEN INOPERATIVE AND OPERATIVE POSITIONS AND MEANS FOR RAISING THE ELEVATOR TO LIFT THE FLASK FROM THE SADDLE AND DELIVER IT TO A RECEIVING STATION AT A HIGHER ELEVATION. 